What Was It Like Then?

Nadia Mike is an Inuit educator who graduated with a Bachelor of Education from the University of Regina. Although Nadia has lived in many communities across the North, she considers Iqaluit, Nunavut, her home. Nadia has two daughters, Leah and Jaime, who constantly teach her to be less serious and enjoy every day. These two girls have also reminded Nadia of the importance of children's literature, and having stories with settings, characters, and themes that show children that their lives and cultures are important enough to be in books. Nadia loves to travel, cook, sew, and drink strong coffee. In 2014, Nadia published her first book, an Inuktitut-language first-words board book. In 2016, she published Leah's Mustache Party, her first picture book, followed by Ukaliq and Kalla Go Fishing in 2017.


Lenny Lishchenko is not a boy. She is an illustrator, graphic designer, and comic maker, who will never give up the chance to draw a good birch tree. Ukrainian born and Canadian raised, she's interested in telling stories that people remember years later, in the early mornings where everything is quiet and still. She's worked with clients such as Lenny Letter, Power Athletics Ltd. Alberta Venture, and Rubicon Publishing, and is based out of Mississauga, Ontario.